NATO forces are increasingly intercepting Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, raising concerns about airspace security.
The Russian defense ministry has yet to respond to requests for comment but has previously stated that their pilots frequently operate over international waters, including the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black, and Baltic Seas, as well as the Pacific Ocean.
Following Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Baltic Sea has been dubbed a “NATO lake,” especially after Finland and Sweden joined the alliance, bolstering NATO’s presence along its eastern borders.
Russia maintains strong access to the Baltic Sea through Kaliningrad, a strategically located exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania, along with St. Petersburg to the north — both of which are home to the Russian navy’s Baltic Fleet.
Since the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian War, various Russian military aircraft, including nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets, have been spotted near NATO territory. Some of these planes have been noted carrying cruise missiles.
These aerial interactions often occur during Russian military drills or transit flights between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad. NATO notes that a significant portion of Russian flight activity is tied to the geographic location of Kaliningrad.
Allied Air Command, which oversees NATO’s air policing operations, scrambles fighter jets when aircraft approach NATO airspace without transponders on, communication with air traffic control, or a filed flight plan.
NATO is actively conducting air policing missions in five European regions, including the Baltic Sea, Iceland, NATO’s eastern flank (Poland, Romania, Bulgaria), the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), and the eastern Adriatic Sea and western Balkans.
The Baltic Air Policing (BAP) initiative has been in place since April 2004, with allied nations rotating the deployment of fighter jets to protect the airspace over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which all share borders with Russia.
A NATO official emphasized that BAP underscores the alliance’s commitment, solidarity, and determination toward the Baltic States.
Currently, Italian Eurofighter jets are stationed in Lithuania, while German Eurofighters are conducting operations out of Latvia as part of this initiative.